Inflation cooled for a second straight month in March as the Consumer Price Index dipped to 2.4% from 2.8% in February, based on the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report.Prices fell 0.1% in March from the previous month and are the lowest level in four years. The data does not take into account President Donald Trump's sweeping announcement of tariffs that came on April 2 and the subsequent pullback on April 9. Related Video Above: How rising tariffs could cost American families thousandsFood prices, however, went up in March. The food index rose 0.4% from the previous month as the price of staples like eggs, beef, chicken and milk went up. Egg prices continued to soar in March as bird flu outbreaks hit poultry farms and forced producers to cull tens of millions of hens. The average price of a dozen eggs was $6.23 in March compared to $5.90 in February. Prices for eggs ahead the bird flu were at $3.37 in October 2024.Beef has also risen to $5.85 per pound from $5.74 in February. Prices are predicted to continue to rise in April due to tight supplies and continued consumer demand, based on the food price outlook released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.Not all food prices increased. The cost of fish and seafood dropped by 1.5% last month, and staples like butter, white bread and potatoes were down as well. Search for a grocery item and see how prices on your grocery list went up or down in our monitor below.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4K
NEW YORK — Inflation cooled for a second straight month in March as the Consumer Price Index dipped to 2.4% from 2.8% in February, based on the latest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics .
Prices fell 0.1% in March from the previous month and are the lowest level in four years. The data does not take into account President Donald Trump's sweeping announcement of tariffs that came on April 2 and the subsequent pullback on April 9.
Related Video Above: How rising tariffs could cost American families thousands
Food prices, however, went up in March. The food index rose 0.4% from the previous month as the price of staples like eggs, beef, chicken and milk went up.
Egg prices continued to soar in March as bird flu outbreaks hit poultry farms and forced producers to cull tens of millions of hens. The average price of a dozen eggs was $6.23 in March compared to $5.90 in February. Prices for eggs ahead the bird flu were at $3.37 in October 2024.
Beef has also risen to $5.85 per pound from $5.74 in February. Prices are predicted to continue to rise in April due to tight supplies and continued consumer demand, based on the released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.
Not all food prices increased. The cost of fish and seafood dropped by 1.5% last month, and staples like butter, white bread and potatoes were down as well.
Search for a grocery item and see how prices on your grocery list went up or down in our monitor below.
